Thrilling all-Dutch battle decides Cyclo-cross Worlds in the final moments: Van Empel defeats Brand, claiming third world title

After an electrifying duel, Fem van Empel has secured the women's cyclo-cross world title in Liévin, France. The Dutch Visma | Lease a Bike rider proved too strong for her compatriot Lucinda Brand in the final lap after an intense showdown that will go down in history. The Baloise Glowi Lions rider made a mistake in the closing meters, leaving her unable to respond. Puck Pieterse finished in third at a respectful distance, completing an all-Dutch podium.

Anyone who followed cyclo-cross this season saw a dominant Dutch force in the women's field. Fem van Empel and Lucinda Brand were at their peak, while Puck Pieterse and Ceylin Alvarado also put in strong performances. The Dutch were expected to dominate in Liévin, but Blanka Vas had shown in recent weeks that she was ready to challenge the favorites.

At the start, where Van Empel is usually the first to blast off the line, this time it was Pieterse who had the fastest reaction. However, French rider Amandine Fouquenet made a bold move on home soil, taking the early lead. Pieterse quickly took over, with Brand and Vas not far behind, as the main contenders positioned themselves at the front from the very beginning. Van Empel caught up, and soon, the two young riders were off together.

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All-Dutch battle for the medals

The defending world champion set a high pace from the start, putting the mountain bike world champion under pressure to keep up. Behind them, Brand and Vas launched the chase, already trailing by ten seconds after the first lap. The Baloise Glowi Lions rider put in a big effort and gradually closed the gap to her Dutch rivals. Thanks to a strong second lap, Brand joined the leaders, forming a trio of top favorites at the front.

What followed was an epic battle, with the three strongest women taking turns at the front. The gap to Vas in fourth grew bigger and bigger, making it clear that the podium spots were already decided — the only question left was the finishing order. Midway through the race, Van Empel accelerated, forcing Pieterse to drop back by ten seconds, a gap she had to work hard to close after also making a bike change.

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Pieterse drops back, thrilling duel in closing stages

While Pieterse managed to keep up on the technical sections, she lost too much time to her two rivals on the power segments. This made it clear that the world title would go to either Van Empel or Brand, who had the strength to stay at the front. Meanwhile, Inge van der Heijden was having a fantastic race, overtaking Vas and making it four Dutch riders in the top four positions. Pieterse began to close in again as the front two pushed each other to the limit.

With one lap to go, the real battle began. Van Empel switched bikes in the penultimate lap, prompting Brand to attack immediately. The gap at the start-finish line was just four seconds. Van Empel looked strong, but Brand gave her no breathing room. Still, the defending champion clawed her way back. In the final sprint, Brand made a costly mistake, allowing Van Empel to claim her third consecutive world title.

Results Cyclo-cross World Championship elite women 2025

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